Chapter Forty-Seven: The Changes of Three Months

In the days that followed, aside from mealtimes, Harvey devoted himself completely to the practice of void magic. Possessing immense power without perfect control could not be considered true mastery; it would never truly belong to him. Thus, Harvey was never anxious, even when his initial spellcasting was agonizingly slow. He practiced with steadfast diligence for over two months, building a solid foundation.

All the evolution points he accumulated in those months were poured into the Void Skin of Kha’Zix, the Void Predator. Harvey evolved the Void Skin eighty-one times, bringing Kha’Zix’s total number of evolutions to three hundred. After reaching this milestone, the evolution points required for each subsequent upgrade increased by half, demanding a staggering 1.5 million points per evolution. This escalation made Harvey’s heart race with apprehension. Yet, with no chance to select a new hero template, he had no choice but to invest every point into the Void Skin, determined to reach at least one hundred evolutions.

Now, with eighty-one evolutions completed, Harvey’s physical prowess had grown dramatically. He could now fly at Mach 6 under his own power, unaided by magic. In close quarters, his raw speed surpassed even that of his void magic’s spatial traversal. Lacking proper means to test his limits, Harvey was unsure of his exact physical strength, but his defense was undoubtedly formidable. The speed boost alone was a testament to his enhanced physique, allowing him to withstand the ferocious, slicing winds of supersonic flight. When he channeled the Void Assault, his speed soared to Mach 8. Compared to nine months prior, his velocity had doubled, and his strength and capabilities became ever more comprehensive.

With his current power, Harvey was ready to set foot into the cosmos and spread the will of the Void. Yet before that, after breakfast, he swept his mental gaze over New York, and in the next instant, vanished from where he stood.

In the past three months, Tony Stark had evolved thirty-seven times as well. Each evolution contributed 2,000 units of void energy, totaling seventy-four thousand. Pepper, perhaps less driven by the desire for power, had only evolved seventeen times, each giving 100 units, for a total of 1,700.

Compared to Tony, whose destiny was grand and formidable, Pepper’s contribution of void energy was meager. Yet Harvey saw the value in reaching those with weaker destinies; their individual void energy contributions may be small, but with great numbers, their sum would be astonishing. At present, Harvey possessed only a meager 175,000 units of void energy—still a vast distance from the goal of one hundred million needed to redeem the Supreme Alien Void Predator. But once he ventured into the universe, this goal would no longer seem so distant. The cosmos abounded with advanced technologies; armed with the controlling technologies of the supreme aliens, he could vastly extend the reach of his intelligence.

Meanwhile, Tony Stark and Pepper were having breakfast. Pepper planned to head to Stark Industries after eating, while Tony intended to resume his research. Suddenly, the void before them split open, revealing a vortex like a purple-black hole. Tony’s eyes narrowed; he had seen such a phenomenon before. Pepper, startled, recalled Tony’s tales of the supernatural—the gods, the mighty figures of Earth, and other things beyond ordinary comprehension. The sudden appearance of such a void made her wonder if they’d been discovered.

Yet, under their watchful eyes, a tall, handsome young man with black hair and eyes emerged from the vortex.

“Mr. Harvey Ambelaca,” Pepper greeted, her initial fright settling into relief as she spoke politely. Tony, having witnessed Harvey’s power before, quickly deduced that this purple-black hole was his doing.

“Harvey, this must be your first time visiting my home unannounced,” Tony said, pausing his meal. “You must have something important to tell me.”

Harvey stepped forward, the void behind him vanishing. He nodded slightly at Tony’s words. “I’ve decided to leave Earth and journey across the universe.”

Tony clenched his fist, pausing in mid-bite. “I wish I could join you out there among the stars,” he said with a hint of envy. “But I’m still too weak.”

Over the past three months, he had felt himself evolve many times. His appearance had reverted to that of a vibrant twenty-four-year-old, strikingly handsome, and his strength surpassed the limits of human understanding. Yet Tony had not forgotten his original purpose for joining the Void. Besides daily meals and evolution, his research never ceased. In those three months, he had developed a new element and created a unique arc reactor, the secret of whose construction belonged to him alone. His Iron Man armor was under constant refinement; in terms of power, the latest generation was already far stronger than he was. He himself could not yet achieve flight unaided, let alone soar at Mach 3 or unleash energy blasts.

The ongoing improvements to the armor served not only to bolster his strength but also to shield his true identity. Tony had not revealed his altered self in public; whenever he ventured out, he did so clad in his armor. Though many accused him of flamboyance, his actions and voice fit his public persona. He never abused the armor for mischief, so no real trouble arose.

Compared to Tony’s cautious maneuverings, Pepper’s evolution had gone more smoothly. She often mentioned to Tony that she felt her body had evolved more than ten times, though at a slower pace. Tony suspected that their differing ambitions steered their evolutions down divergent paths. Pepper’s physical enhancements were significant compared to an ordinary person, but less dramatic than his own. The most striking change was in her appearance—now she looked as she had at twenty: her skin porcelain, smooth, and radiant, her beauty and confidence more dazzling than ever.

Perhaps it was the broadening of her horizons, or the knowledge that her youth would not fade, but Pepper’s demeanor had changed as well. She was no longer as headstrong as before. While there were whispers and rumors from outsiders, most attributed her transformation to cosmetic procedures and diligent self-care. Compared to being branded a freak, these rumors hardly troubled her at all.